Christmas Traditions

I love traditions and here's two I didn't want to let pass by without highlighting ...

Every year we get together with a group of friends we've known since high school for what we like to call "Thank-mas". We haven't gotten together with this group since the end of May but isn't it the best when you can just pick right up as of you haven't missed a day?! Such great memories with all these precious friends ... especially with the crazy Norwegian troll that keeps making his way back to the gift exchange each year...

And then there's Dessert Night!  This is always such a treat and this year was no exception! As usual the evening was magical, the tables beautiful and the ladies couldn't stop talking to listen to the singers! Ha ha! {You think I'm joking don't you?!} This year was an extra treat for me because I had absolutely no responsibilities! I just showed up, sat at a table of other moms with young kids and chit-chatted about GMO's, food allergies and preschool learning websites! Ha ha ha! Typical!

Big Band Christmas!

Last Sunday was my churches annual Ladies Dessert Night and it is always something I very much look forward to!

This year was great and really a lot of fun! I mean how can you go wrong with Big Band music and swing dancing?

And then of course there is the food! I forgot to take a picture of dinner because it was so good and I just jumped right in and devoured my salad, Thai pasta, sandwich and root-beer float!

But I remembered my camera when the desserts came out! :)

Ladies Dessert Night!

It officially feels like Christmas! Every year it seems like Dessert Night is the thing that does it to convince me, "Okay, I guess it really is Christmas time!"

This year was great and as usual the church was transformed into a Christmas wonderland!

This year I hosted a table and did a Hanukkah table. Although I did a Hanukkah table two years ago, this year there were some new and fabulous Martha Stewart touches that I am rather proud of! (Click here to find out what they were and to see them in more detail)
Although the title of the night is LADIES Dessert Night, my littlest man decided to join us for the evening after the child care brought him out to us and said "He won't stop crying" ... Oh, okay, well then he will sit in his stroller at our table and eat green beans from his Grammy! (He did pretty good, but the poor boy is working on more teeth so he's not super happy about anything right now... except peek-a-boo... but that's a different blog)

Here are the lovely ladies who sat at my table! Back row: Emily, Maddison, Angela, DeAnna. Front Row: Juanita, Barb aka: my mom, Bennett, Me, Crystal-Lee

(Also, please notice our son might have received the Holy Spirit this night as noted by his "tongues of fire" in this picture!)

The evenings entertainment included an unusual but very funny and entertaining entrance by the waiters for the evening:

As well as the Bethlehem Bed and Breakfast skit and an outstanding handle bell choir (but I didn't get a picture of them)

Dessert night also had a wonderful sound man (and sound assistant) !
And as is the tradition for the past four years, here's Adam and I after dessert night with the stage decorations.
As always, Dessert night was a huge hit, but there were two people who were greatly missed! Good thing they were able to stop by for a second :)

Weekend of Christmas (and Hanukkah)!

So, this last weekend was going to be our Christmas kick off including a trip to Disneyland but I have been rather under the weather and Disneyland got kicked to the curb. Friday was however replaced with a lovely day of homemade chili and movie's with Adam and Katie so the day was good, maybe just not as Christmas-y as I had expected.

Saturday, however, was a blast! Adam and I were invited to a Christmas party at Maggie, Hillary, Becky and Stefanie's house in Temecula. Now, don't get me wrong, I was not expecting to have a bad time, but I was really surprised at just how much fun I really did have! It was a great way to start December!

(Just suggesting that Adam button one more button)

(Cheesey prom picture!)

(Becky and I being friends, and Katie being mad about it!)
Then on Sunday, our church had their annual Ladies Dessert Night and I hosted a table! Due to the fact that I have all blue china and a menorah I decided to make a Hanukkah table - and I really loved it!

Every person at my table got their own dreidal and gelt along with directions on how to play this fabulous little game! Adam didn't serve my table because he was doing sound with Cory but our friend Christian did, and he did such a good job! So, all that to say, I'm in the Holiday spirit and very much enjoying myself!